A Dundee institution is marking a milestone anniversary by donating £100,000 to causes across the city.
Dundee Rotary Club will celebrate its centenary in May and intends to focus on helping local people and charities, at a time when support is needed “more than ever”.
The biggest donation will be a £25,000 bursary scheme for students of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design.
Over the next five years, a £5,000 grant will be given to a student for a post-graduate degree. The first beneficiary has already been chosen and will be announced soon.
Other plans include a £10,000 grant for a yet to be named organisation and donations of £2,000 each to 10 local bodies, through the club’s Centenary Charities project.
The rest of the cash will be donated to local causes, to be chosen by the club’s centenary committee in the coming months.
Rotarians hope the funds will create a legacy of addressing need and creating opportunities for young Dundonians.
Robert Dunn, chairman of the centenary committee and former president, said: “This will be a very special year in the club’s proud history.
“We are well advanced with our plans to celebrate this milestone next year with a variety of social events being planned for club members, their families, the Dundee community and our local and international Rotary friends.
“However, key to our celebrations will be our ongoing support to local good causes, at a time of most need, as a result of Covid-19.”
Most of the money will come from the club’s own funds, with some support from other organisations in Dundee.
Dundee Lord Provost Ian Borthwick said: “The 100th anniversary of Dundee Rotary Club is a tremendous achievement, and I am well aware of the excellent work they have done over many years.
“To celebrate the 100th anniversary with the disbursement of £100,000 is remarkable, and excellent news.
“The disbursement of such a large amount of money to local charitable bodies and good causes is worthy of celebration, and Dundee Rotary Club and its members are to be congratulated for this tremendous effort.”
Rotarians plan to celebrate with various events throughout the year, starting with a civic reception at the city chambers on May 21, 100 years to the day the club became a full constituted organisation.
Current Dundee Rotary president, Clive Murray, said: “Preparation for our centenary celebrations has involved a significant amount of planning, and the centenary year will commence with a civic reception for the club.
“We look forward to announcing the recipients of the 10 centenary grants of £2,000 at that event.
“The centenary programme for the remainder of the year involves a charter dinner, dinner dance, golf day, a commissioned play about club history, the production of a special Dundee Rotary cake, a family fun day and a commemorative booklet.”
Dundee Rotary Club owes its existence to the Rotary Club of Perth.
In 1920 the Rotary Club of Edinburgh made an unsuccessful attempt to establish a club in Dundee but a year later Perth Rotarians took matters into their own hands.
On April 21, 1921 the Perth club arranged a meeting in the Queens Hotel in Dundee and a resolution was successfully moved that a Rotary Club be formed in the city, with a founding membership of 23 men.
The first act of community service was a subscription for a holiday fund for children in the city’s orphanage.
Last year, it had its first female president in solicitor Mary Crighton.
Members are currently meeting on Zoom as the pandemic restrictions on social gatherings put its regular venue the Invercarse Hotel out of bounds.
Throughout its history it has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to good causes.
